1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to beam detection, particularly detection of light beams.
2. Description of Related Art
In aligning beam emitters, e.g., IR lasers, one often uses phosphor cards that need to be charged with ambient or UV/light sources. However, when a laser beam strikes the card, the image of the laser beam soon bleaches out the phosphor. Accordingly, one needs to recharge the card or move it so that the beam strikes a spot that has not been bleached.
Also in the prior art is a "Quantex" model which has a glass disc having a coating of phosphor thereon which is rotated in the path of an IR laser beam. On the other side of the disc is mounted a UV or LED (blue light emitter) which recharges the phosphor that has been bleached by the IR beam, such that a continuously illuminated spot appears on the rotating disc showing the location of the laser beam. However, the path of the beam is blocked by such disc to the detriment of target or mirror alignment.
Accordingly, there is need and market for a "pass-through" beam detector that overcomes the above prior art shortcomings.
There's now been discovered a renewable beam detector which can provide an illuminated beam spot on a surface so as to provide the location and other characteristics of the beam and also to permit passage of the beam through the detector.
In the prior art is noted U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,565 to Jehle (1973) but it relates to an electro-optic target acquisition system.